Robert D Wilson Sr

Robert David Wilson, 89, of Perry St. in Schenectady passed away peacefully in his sleep Saturday morning, November 8th at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady. He was born at Ellis Hospital on March 31, 1919. A lifelong resident of the Capital District area, he and his wife Kathryn had recently celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. His early years included time lived in Schenectady, Rotterdam, Bolton Landing, and Saratoga and for many years thereafter he remained a resident of the Rotterdam and Schenectady areas. A gifted carpenter by trade, his wonderful work ethic was known far and wide by many and he was a proud member of Union Local 370. During his life, he constructed a sound legacy best characterized by his surviving offspring and by the many other people he influenced in life in so many positive ways. In the final weeks of his life he was constantly surrounded by much of his vast and loving family. Among his greatest enjoyments in life were his wife Kathryn and her family, his nine children, and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, to whom he was always devoted. He drew great pleasure from time spent with both his family and his friends of which were many. Another important enjoyment in his life was the Wilson family homestead in Bolton Landing on Lake George. He had great love and a strong connection to the Adirondack mountains, an area which was always a beacon to him during his lifetime. One of the most remarkable legacies that Bob leaves was his ingenious sense of humor. Virtually all who knew him can recount numerous examples of his outstanding wit which was never harmful to others and, more often than not, self deprecating. His takeaway message to others was what a wonderful thing it is to be able to genuinely laugh at oneself. Bob always considered his life a play in three acts. In the opening act, he experienced the roaring twenties and then the severity of the Great Depression. It was an incredibly happy time for him and his siblings, although his parents suffered immensely from their complete financial losses during the Great Depression. The time after the great depression was always a fond memory for him. The family relocated to a rural area where, out of necessity, they learned to live from the bounty of the land. He recalled his life's second act as characterized by years of personal difficulty and struggle. There were many dark periods in his life during Act Two. He worked for the defense industries at General Electric during most of WWII and then joined the US Army in late 1944 from which obtained an honorable discharge. His life's third act began in the early sixties when he was befriended by Bill W who remained his most influential friend for nearly fifty years. In 1966, at the age of forty-seven, Bob experienced a life changing health issue with a heart crisis. From that point on he consciously altered his life to improve both his physical form and character values. His achievement was clearly demonstrated when, on his seventieth birthday, he flew to Georgia, then walked alone 1,150 miles of the Appalachian Trial back to Schenectady, arriving just over three months later. He then proceeded to build his new house on Perry Street in Belvue completing it in five months. As late as 2005 Bob was still active as a carpenter when he installed a new roof on his church. In addition to his wife Kathryn, he is survived by his nine children: Diane Armstrong of Amsterdam, Bonnie Wilson-Marco of Hamburg, Barbara Goodwin of Ballston Spa, Robert Wilson II and his wife Ellen of San Diego, Daniel Wilson and his wife Jill of Amsterdam, George Wilson and his wife Patricia of Saratoga Springs, Joseph Wilson and his wife Joan of Greenwich, Kathleen Smith and her husband Ray of Schenectady, and Andrew Wilson and his wife Patricia of Fort Hunter. In addition he is survived by thirty-eight grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. Very important to Robert too were his adoptive family, his wife's children; Dianna (Tom) Balsamo of Clifton Park, Deborah and (Len) Smith of Glastonbury Connecticut, Wesley Breaux of Hartford, Connecticut and Cheryl (Luis) Ducos of Colonie. He is also survived by twin sisters, Ruth (Karl) Frank of Queensbury and Betty DeLaMater of Atlanta Georgia. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his first wife of thirty-eight years, Agnes Wilson, his brother Byron, and sisters Alice Terrio and Frances Lafforthun. Funeral service will be held on Thursday morning November 13th at 10 am at First Baptist Church of Scotia, Mohawk Avenue, Scotia, NY 12302. Calling hours to which relatives and friends are invited will be held on Wednesday from 2 to 4 pm and from 6 to 8 pm at Bond Funeral Home, Broadway & Guilderland Avenue, Schenectady, NY. Entombment in the mausoleum at Schenectady Memorial Park. Contributions may be made in Roberts's memory to the Renewal Prayer Network, 293 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12100 or Habitat of Humanity.